1907 - 1989
Sheets attended Pomona High School and the Chouinard School of Art, Los Angeles, graduating in 1927. He continued his studies in Paris where he worked primarily in lithography in the atelier of M. Dorfinant. Returning to Los Angeles, he continued to work in lithography in the circle of Lynton Kistler. In 1938 he had his first New York exhibition at Milch Galleries where he showed watercolor landscapes. After teaching at Chouinard, he was appointed director of art at Scripps College, Claremont, CA, 1938-1954. During World War II he worked as an artist for Life Magazine on the Burma-India front. He did a two month tour of Turkey in 1960, and a six week tour of the USSR in 1960 for the State Department. Later he taught painting in Greece, Mexico, Japan, Ireland and Yugoslavia, 1965-71. From 1978 Kennedy Galleries handled his work.
Sheets' architectural mural and mosaic work included the design, exterior and interior mosaics for the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, Los Angeles, 1961; murals for the Detroit Public Library, NAD Abbey Mural Committee Award, 1961; mural facade for Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana, 1964; exterior masaic for the Garrison Theatre, Claremont, California, 1966.
In 1930 he married Mary Baskerville. To qualify as Academician he submitted the watercolor "Winter in Temecula".
Sheets is primarily a watercolorist who depicts the exotic landscape and picturesque scene of the places he visited. The most important quality of his work is his use of color. Whether it be the hot colors of Turkey or Mexico or the cool colors of winter in Alaska or Pennsylvania, Sheets uses his color to evoke the place. Sheets is a close observer of both locale and humanity and much of his best work includes the local people and customs in his landscapes. He often works in a primitive style to capture the folk traditions of the place. His intrinsic interest in people led him to do many penetrating portraits of the people of those places.
Sheets' architectural mural and mosaic work included the design, exterior and interior mosaics for the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, Los Angeles, 1961; murals for the Detroit Public Library, NAD Abbey Mural Committee Award, 1961; mural facade for Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana, 1964; exterior masaic for the Garrison Theatre, Claremont, California, 1966.
In 1930 he married Mary Baskerville. To qualify as Academician he submitted the watercolor "Winter in Temecula".
Sheets is primarily a watercolorist who depicts the exotic landscape and picturesque scene of the places he visited. The most important quality of his work is his use of color. Whether it be the hot colors of Turkey or Mexico or the cool colors of winter in Alaska or Pennsylvania, Sheets uses his color to evoke the place. Sheets is a close observer of both locale and humanity and much of his best work includes the local people and customs in his landscapes. He often works in a primitive style to capture the folk traditions of the place. His intrinsic interest in people led him to do many penetrating portraits of the people of those places.
